The Route at a Glance
187 km
Total Distance
4-4.5 hrs
Actual Drive Time
NH60
Pune-Nagar Highway
Route: Pune → Shikrapur → Ahmednagar → Newasa → Kopargaon → Shirdi
There's only one sensible route — NH60 via Ahmednagar. Google Maps sometimes suggests alternative routes through smaller roads, but trust us, the highway is the way to go. It's a 4-lane national highway all the way to Ahmednagar (120 km), then a 2-lane state highway for the remaining 67 km to Shirdi. Total drive time is about 4 hours without stops, or 4.5-5 hours if you eat at Ahmednagar.
A few important things before we get into the kilometer-by-kilometer breakdown. First — where you start from within Pune makes a real difference. If you're coming from Hinjewadi or Wakad, add 30-40 minutes just to get to the Pune city exit and onto NH60 via the Pune-Nashik highway. If you're starting from Hadapsar or Kharadi, you're already close to the highway, so you save that time. People from Camp and Shivaji Nagar should head through Yerawada towards the Nagar road — it's the most direct.
Second — the 4-4.5 hour estimate is realistic for a sedan doing 80-90 km/h. If you're driving a smaller car and keeping to 70-80 km/h, budget 5 hours. Our drivers usually do it in about 3 hours 45 minutes, but they know the road blindfolded and they're not pushing speed limits — they just don't stop unnecessarily and they know which stretches allow 100 km/h safely.
Getting Out of Pune: Starting Points Matter
The first 15-20 km — just getting out of Pune city — is often the slowest part of the whole trip. Where you live decides how you approach the highway.
From Hinjewadi / Wakad / Baner (West Pune)
This is the trickiest starting point. You need to cut across the city to get to Nagar Road. Take the Baner-Aundh road to University Circle, then Yerawada to Wagholi. Total extra distance: about 25-30 km before you hit the highway. On a Sunday morning, this takes 30-40 minutes. On a weekday, could be an hour in traffic. If you're leaving before 6 AM, it's closer to 25 minutes. Honestly, for Hinjewadi folks, start early or you'll spend half your drive time just exiting Pune.
From Kharadi / Viman Nagar / Wagholi (East Pune)
You're already on the right side of the city. From Kharadi, take the road towards Wagholi and you're on NH60 within 10-15 minutes. This is the easiest starting point. If you live in Wagholi, you're basically already on the highway. Lucky you.
From Hadapsar / Magarpatta / Kondhwa (South-East Pune)
Head towards Mundhwa, then take the Kharadi bypass to join NH60 near Wagholi. About 12-15 km to highway entry. The Mundhwa-Kharadi stretch can get clogged during morning hours but it's manageable. From Hadapsar, it's roughly 20-25 minutes to highway.
From Camp / Shivaji Nagar / Deccan (Central Pune)
Take the standard route: Shivaji Nagar to Yerawada to Kharadi to Wagholi to NH60. This is the classic Pune-Ahmednagar road that generations have used. From Camp, expect 20-30 minutes to clear city limits depending on traffic. The Yerawada stretch near the jail can be slow during peak hours.
The Drive: What to Expect Every Step of the Way
Pune to Wagholi — Escaping the City
The Wagholi stretch is being developed rapidly, so expect construction-related slowdowns in patches. Once you cross Wagholi, the city traffic dies down and the real highway begins. There are Indian Oil and HP pumps near Wagholi — fill up here if you're below half tank. The next reliable fuel options are about 40-50 km ahead.
Network: Full Jio/Airtel signal. Phone calls and GPS work fine.
Shikrapur — The First Small Town
Shikrapur is the first town you pass through after leaving Pune. There are a few dhabas here — mostly chai and vada pav stalls on either side of the highway. We usually don't recommend stopping here unless someone really needs a restroom. The dhabas are basic, restrooms are not the cleanest. Better to push on to Ahmednagar for a proper stop.
The road surface is good through Shikrapur. Speed breakers at the town entry and exit — they're painted, but watch for them at night.
The Open Highway Stretch — Best Driving on the Route
This 30 km stretch between Shikrapur and the first toll is the best part of the drive. Wide 4-lane highway, smooth surface, very little traffic on weekday mornings. You can cruise at 90-100 km/h comfortably. The landscape opens up — flat farmland on both sides, especially green during and after monsoon. Early morning drives here are genuinely pleasant.
Toll ahead: First toll plaza at around 60-65 km mark. Keep FASTag ready or ₹100-150 cash for car.
First Toll Plaza
Charges are about ₹100-150 for a car. If you have FASTag, you drive through without stopping — takes seconds. Without FASTag, expect a 5-10 minute queue on weekends and festival days. There's a small fuel station near the toll, and a couple of snack shops. Not a good place to stop unless you need fuel urgently.
After the toll, the highway continues wide and smooth towards Ahmednagar. This middle stretch (65-120 km) has fewer stops but the road quality is excellent.
The Long Stretch to Ahmednagar
This 50 km stretch is mostly uneventful — and that's a good thing. The road is flat, straight, and well-maintained. You'll pass through a few small villages, each with speed breakers (some unmarked, so don't zone out). Cell coverage is decent throughout — Jio works consistently, Airtel has a couple of weak spots around km 80-90 but never drops completely. There's a Bharat Petroleum pump around km 85-90 if you need fuel.
Warning: The afternoon sun on this stretch is brutal in summer (April-May). The road shimmers with heat. Run the AC and keep water bottles handy.
Ahmednagar — Your Main Stop
Ahmednagar is where everyone stops, and for good reason. It's exactly at the midway mark, it has proper restaurants, clean fuel stations, ATMs, medical stores — basically everything you might need. The city is set up well for highway travelers because so many Shirdi-bound vehicles pass through daily.
Where to Eat in Ahmednagar (Our Actual Picks):
- Hotel Panchavati — Pure veg, serves an unlimited Maharashtrian thali for about ₹180-250. This is where we send most families. The food is fresh, the place is clean, and they're used to handling large groups. Gets crowded between 12-2 PM, so go before noon if you can.
- Sai Palace Restaurant — Slightly fancier, has AC seating. Multi-cuisine, so if your group has mixed preferences (someone wants Chinese, someone wants thali), this works. ₹200-350 per person. Good for families with kids.
- Highway King — Standard highway dhaba. Nothing fancy, but the food comes fast and it's filling. ₹100-200 per person. Good if you're in a hurry and just want roti-sabzi-dal and move on.
- Kanifnath Hotel — A local favourite. Both veg and non-veg options. The chicken thali here is popular with drivers. ₹150-300. Casual setting.
How long to stop: We recommend 20-30 minutes. Quick meal, use the restroom, stretch your legs. Don't linger too long — the remaining 67 km to Shirdi takes about 1.5 hours and you want to reach during daylight.
Ahmednagar city traffic note: If you're entering the city for a restaurant, be prepared for some congestion. The main road through Ahmednagar gets busy between 11 AM and 1 PM, and again from 5-7 PM. If you're not stopping for food, take the bypass road to avoid city traffic entirely.
Ahmednagar to Newasa — The Road Changes Here
This is where the drive character changes. After Ahmednagar, the wide 4-lane highway narrows to a 2-lane state highway. The road surface is still decent — it was repaired and upgraded a couple of years back — but you need to slow down. You'll share the road with tractors, bullock carts, and the occasional truck that takes its time overtaking another truck. Keep your speed at 60-70 km/h and be patient.
Newasa is a small town at roughly the 155 km mark. There's a fuel pump here (HP and Bharat Petroleum) and a few tea stalls. Nothing major to stop for unless you need diesel or a chai break.
Kopargaon — Almost There, 17 km to Go
Kopargaon is the last proper town before Shirdi. If you didn't eat at Ahmednagar, there are a couple of decent restaurants here. But most people are so close to Shirdi by this point that they push through. There's an Indian Oil pump if you need fuel. The Godavari river flows nearby — in monsoon, the bridge area can have water on the road during very heavy rains, but this is rare.
The last 17 km from Kopargaon to Shirdi is a straight, flat road. You can see the Sai Baba Sansthan complex from a distance as you approach.
Shirdi — You've Arrived
Shirdi town itself is built around the Sai Baba temple. As you enter, follow the signboards for parking — there are multiple lots around the temple complex. Car parking costs ₹50-100. The temple is walkable from all major parking areas. Hotels line the main road if you're staying overnight. For the Shirdi to Pune return journey, the same route applies in reverse.
When Should You Leave Pune?
This depends entirely on what darshan you're aiming for. The Sai Baba temple has specific aarti timings, and most pilgrims plan around those.
For Kakad Aarti (4:30 AM)
Leave Pune by midnight or 12:30 AM latest. The drive at night is actually faster — empty roads, no traffic, no waiting at tolls. You'll reach Shirdi by 4-4:15 AM. This is what the most devout devotees do. Night driving on this route is safe — the highway is reasonably lit near towns, and there's almost no traffic after midnight.
Bring coffee in a thermos. The highway dhabas between Ahmednagar and Shirdi are mostly shut between 12-4 AM.
For Morning Darshan (8-10 AM)
Leave Pune between 3:30-4:30 AM. You'll hit the highway before dawn, reach Ahmednagar as the sun comes up, and arrive at Shirdi by 8-8:30 AM. This is the most popular timing for day-trip visitors. Morning darshan lines are shorter than afternoon, so you get through faster.
Eat breakfast at Ahmednagar if you left without eating. Hotel Panchavati opens at 7 AM.
For Afternoon Visit (12-3 PM)
Leave Pune between 7-8 AM. Comfortable timing, no rush. Stop for a proper breakfast/lunch in Ahmednagar around 10-10:30 AM. Reach Shirdi by 12-12:30 PM. Afternoon darshan is usually less crowded than morning on regular days. On Thursdays and weekends, all timings are crowded.
This timing works well for families with young children or elderly people who don't want to wake up before dawn.
For Dhoop Aarti (12 PM) or Shej Aarti (10:30 PM)
Plan your departure time backwards from these. For 12 PM Dhoop Aarti, leave by 6:30-7 AM. For 10:30 PM Shej Aarti, you can leave in the afternoon — say 5-6 PM — and arrive by 9:30-10 PM. After Shej Aarti, many people sleep in Shirdi and return next morning.
If driving for Shej Aarti, the evening drive from Ahmednagar to Shirdi will be in darkness. The road is fine but keep your high beams on for the 2-lane section.
Tolls, Fuel, and Restrooms
Let's cover the practical stuff you need to plan for.
Toll Charges
Total tolls one-way: ₹200-300 depending on vehicle type. There are 2-3 toll plazas on the route. The main one is near the 60-65 km mark from Pune. If you have FASTag (which you should — it's 2026), you sail through. Cash lanes can have 5-15 minute waits during Sai Baba festival days when hundreds of vehicles are heading to Shirdi simultaneously.
Return tolls are the same amount. So budget ₹400-600 total for a round trip in a sedan. SUVs pay slightly more.
Fuel Stations Along the Route
| Location | Distance from Pune | Brands | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wagholi | 15-20 km | Indian Oil, HP | Last guaranteed fuel before highway |
| Near First Toll | 60-65 km | Indian Oil | Small pump, may not have premium fuel |
| Mid-highway | 85-90 km | Bharat Petroleum | Look for it on the left side heading towards Nagar |
| Ahmednagar (city) | 115-125 km | All brands | Multiple options, best place to fill up |
| Newasa | 155-160 km | HP, BPCL | Last major fuel point before Shirdi |
| Kopargaon | 168-170 km | Indian Oil | Fill here if returning same day |
Fuel Advice from Experience:
Most sedans (Swift Dzire, Etios) will use about 12-15 liters for the one-way trip. If you started in Pune with a full tank, you have plenty for the round trip. But if you're returning the same day and your tank was half-full when you left, fill up at Ahmednagar on the way there. Don't risk running on fumes on the 2-lane section between Ahmednagar and Shirdi — fuel options are sparse there.
Restroom Stops
Let's be honest about this because nobody talks about it. The highway dhabas at Shikrapur have restrooms, but they're pretty rough. The fuel stations near the first toll have basic facilities — functional, not great. The first properly clean restrooms are at the restaurants in Ahmednagar. Hotel Panchavati and Sai Palace both have clean washrooms. After Ahmednagar, options are limited again until Shirdi town itself, which has public restrooms near the temple parking areas (maintained by the Sansthan Trust, reasonably clean).
If you're traveling with children or elderly people, plan your stop at Ahmednagar. It's the only place on this route where restroom facilities are reliably clean.
Driving in Different Seasons
The good news about the Pune-Shirdi route is that it's drivable year-round. There are no ghat sections like the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, no mountain passes, no steep descents. It's mostly flat agricultural land. But each season has its own character.
Summer (March-May)
The road is at its best — dry, clear, excellent visibility. But the heat is punishing, especially after 10 AM. Temperatures between Ahmednagar and Shirdi hit 38-42°C in April-May. The car AC will be working overtime. Keep 2-3 liters of drinking water per person. If your car overheats (common in older vehicles), there are mechanics at Ahmednagar who can help. Leave Pune before 5 AM if possible.
Monsoon (June-September)
No ghat sections means no landslide risk — that's the big advantage. The road handles rain well. But there are things to watch for: visibility drops significantly during heavy downpours (reduce speed to 50-60 km/h), there can be minor waterlogging on the road near Ahmednagar's low-lying areas, and the 2-lane section after Ahmednagar gets trickier because trucks spray water and overtaking in rain on a 2-lane road is risky. Avoid night driving in heavy monsoon rains.
Winter (October-February)
Best season for this drive, hands down. Pleasant weather (15-28°C), clear skies, beautiful green fields after monsoon. One thing to watch — early morning fog between 5:30-7:30 AM in December-January, especially on the flat stretch between Ahmednagar and Shirdi. If you leave Pune at 4 AM, you'll hit this foggy stretch around 6-6:30 AM. Drive slow, use fog lights, and it clears up by 8 AM.
Phone Network, GPS, and Other Practical Stuff
Jio: Works well throughout the route. We haven't noticed any dead zones. Data speeds are good enough for Google Maps navigation without issues. Streaming might buffer a bit between km 80-110 (the rural stretch before Ahmednagar), but calls and maps work fine.
Airtel: Mostly good. There's a slightly weak patch around km 80-95 where calls might drop once or twice, but it recovers quickly. 4G works for maps and WhatsApp throughout.
Vi (Vodafone-Idea): Hit or miss on the rural stretches. If you're on Vi, download your Google Maps route offline before leaving Pune. Seriously. You don't want to lose navigation at 5 AM on the Ahmednagar-Shirdi section.
Google Maps vs. reality: Google Maps will show you the route accurately, but it sometimes underestimates travel time because it doesn't account for the speed breakers near every small village (there are about 8-10 of them between Ahmednagar and Shirdi). Add 15-20 minutes to whatever Google tells you.
Things to Carry:
- - Water bottles (at least 1 liter per person, more in summer)
- - Cash for tolls if FASTag isn't working (₹300 should be enough one-way)
- - Car charger for phone — you'll be using GPS for 4 hours
- - Light snacks (biscuits, dry fruits) if traveling with kids
- - Umbrella/raincoat if monsoon (for walking to the temple)
- - ID proof — occasional police checkpoints near Ahmednagar
- - Medicines if anyone gets car-sick (the 2-lane section after Ahmednagar has curves)
Don't Want to Drive? We'll Take You.
Our drivers do the Pune-Shirdi run multiple times a week. They know every speed breaker, every shortcut through Ahmednagar, and exactly where to park at Shirdi temple. You just sit back and rest — especially important if you're leaving at midnight for Kakad Aarti.
Book Pune to Shirdi Cab →Day Trip or Stay Overnight? What Makes Sense
Most of our customers do a same-day return. They leave Pune early (3:30-4 AM), reach Shirdi by 8 AM, do darshan, eat lunch at one of the restaurants near the temple, and head back to Pune by 2-3 PM. Back home by 7 PM. It's a long day, but it's doable.
The return drive is a bit harder because you're tired from darshan and the standing-in-line. This is honestly where having a cab driver helps — you can sleep in the back seat on the way home. If you're driving yourself, take a proper 30-minute rest at Ahmednagar on the way back. Don't push through fatigue, especially on the 2-lane section.
For elderly people or families with small kids, we recommend staying one night. There are plenty of hotels in Shirdi, from budget dharamshalas (₹500-800/night) to decent 3-star hotels (₹2,000-3,500/night). The Sai Baba Sansthan Trust also runs guest houses that are clean and affordable. Staying overnight means you can attend both morning and evening aarti without rushing, visit the nearby Shani Shingnapur temple (about 65 km from Shirdi), and drive back fresh the next morning.
One more option — some families we drive combine Shirdi with Shani Shingnapur and Nashik. Shirdi to Shani Shingnapur is about 1.5 hours. Shirdi to Nashik (Trimbakeshwar) is about 2 hours. If you have 2-3 days, this is a nice pilgrimage circuit. We offer outstation cab packages for exactly this kind of trip.
Skip the Driving. Focus on Darshan.
Driving 374 km round-trip, dealing with tolls, parking, and fatigue — or sitting comfortably in the back seat while someone else handles all of it. For a pilgrimage, the second option makes a lot more sense. Our drivers do this route every week. Pick any departure time — 2 AM, 5 AM, 8 AM — we'll be at your door.